Chapters 44-95 - Germanic Mythology

first cross a river and then come to a boundary which cannot be crossed, excepting by
scalæ, steps on the mountain wall, or ladders, above which the gates are placed, that open
to a city "most resembling a cloud of vapor" (vaporanti maxime nubi simile - Book 8).
This is Saxo's way of translating the name Niflhel, just as he in the story about Hadding's
journey to the lower world translated Glæsisvellir (the Glittering Fields) with loca aprica.
In regard to the topography and eschatology of the Germanic lower world, it is
now of importance to find out on which sides of the Hvergelmir mountain Hel and
Niflhel were conceived to be situated.
Nifl, an ancient word, related to Lat. nebula and Gr. nefele, means fog, mist,
cloud, darkness. Niflhel means that Hel which is enveloped in fog and twilight. The name
Hel alone has evidently had partly a more general application to a territory embracing the
whole kingdom of death -- or else it could not be used as a part of the compound word
Niflhel -- partly a more limited meaning, in which Hel, as in Vafþrúðnismál and
Vegtamskviða, forms a sharp contrast to Niflhel, and from the latter point of view it is
that division of the lower world which is not enveloped in mist and fog.
According to the cosmography of the mythology, before the time when "Ymir
lived," there was Niflheim, a world of fog, darkness, and cold, north of Ginnungagap, and
an opposite world, that of fire and heat, south of the empty abyss. Unfortunately it is only
Gylfaginning that has preserved for our time these cosmographical outlines, but there is
no suspicion that the author of Gylfaginning invented them. The fact that his
cosmographic description also mentions the ancient cow Audhumla, which is nowhere
else named in our mythic records, but is not utterly forgotten in our popular traditions,
and which is a genuine Indo-European conception, this is the strongest argument in favor
of his having had genuine authorities for his theo-cosmogony at hand, though he used
them in an arbitrary manner. The Teutons may also be said to have been compelled to
construct a cosmogony in harmony with their conception of that world with which they
were best acquainted, their own home between the cold North and the warmer South.
Niflhel in the lower world has its counterpart in Niflheim in chaos. Gylfaginning
identifies the two (ch. 5 and 34). Forspjallsljóð does the same, and locates Niflheim far to
the north in the lower world (norður að Niflheim - 26), behind Yggdrasil's farthest root,
under which the poem makes the goddess of night, after completing her journey around
the heavens, rest for a new journey. When Night has completed such a journey and come
to the lower world, she goes northward in the direction towards Niflheim, to remain in
her hall, until Dag with his chariot gets down to the western horizon and in his turn rides
through the "horse doors" of Hades into the lower world. 6
6 In this passage, Rydberg clearly follows Hrafnagaldur Óðins, thus I have added it to the text here. In the
closing verses of this poem, mythological concepts are employed to describe the dawn. Note that the lower
world is referred to as Jormungrund, the same word in Grímnismál 20. Also note that Heimdall plays the
part of the cock, announcing daybreak.